Toy vehicle



Apr i117, 1945.. w; N. WHEELER' 2,373,986

TOY VEHICLE Filed May 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor -Wz'ZZia7w N. Wheeler April 17, 1945. w H 2,373,986

' TOY VEHICLE- Filed May s, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 4 -Wz'ZZzJQmA Wheeler Patented Apr. 1 7, 1945 prim-cs TOY vEHIonr: William Wheeler, Paris, IKy. Application May 8, 1943, Serial No, 486,225

2 Claims. (01. hen

My invention relates to improvements in toy vehicles of the Kiddy Kar type, the principal object in view being --to provide a simply con- 'struoted, safe toy vehicle of the type indicated,

and which is adapted for easy propulsion by a hand crank and for steering by the feet, "and for manufacture at a lower costthan toy vehicles as now constructed.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements "will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a toy vehicle constructed in accordance with my invention, in'the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan,

Figure 3 is a view'in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a modified embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to Figures 1 to 5 thereof, my improved toy vehicle, in its preferred embodiment comprises, as its basic element, a flat sided body-forming bar I, preferably of wood; and havin a solid flat bottomed front end 2, a bearing portion 3 upstanding from its upper edge, immediately in the rear of said front end 2 and upwardly tapering edgewise, and a cylindrical bore 4 extendin upwardly in said front end 2, said bar increasing in thickness vertically from said end to the opposite end thereof and being provided inthe bottom edge of the same with a relatively deep channel 5 extending from said opposite end to said front end. From the transverse center of said bar, the upper edge thereof is cut down to provide a rabbet 6 extending to the rear end of the bar, and said bar from said front end 2 thereof increases in thickness from top to bottom for reinforcing purposes. v

A substantially rectangular seat panel I is litted in the rabbet 6, and suitably secured to said bar, to extend equi-distantly upon opposite sides of the bar as best shown in Figure 2. The seat panel has suitably secured to the underside thereof, adjacent opposite sides of said panel, a

pair of depending bearing blocks 8 extending parallel-with said sides and which are of flat thin form. r

A rear-axle .9 is journaled'in said bearing blocks 8 and in the rear end-of the bar and equipped outwardly of said blocks =8 with a pair of suitable rear wheels 10.

A -.f-ro-n t steering wheel of the caster type i pl0- vided, the wheel'being designated Hand provided with a fork-type mounting =12 straddling the.

wheel and having an upstanding shank l 3;rotatably fitted in the bore 4.

A'steering rod l4 extends axially through the wheel I I and the-mounting t2 equi-distantly upon both sides of the latter and against which pressure may "be exerted by the feet to effect steering in a manner which will be clear, 'A keeper pin 15 extending rearwardly in the front 'end 2 "of the bar. I and into a circumferential groove 15 in the shank t3 provides for retaining the. shank l3 inthe bore 4, r

Means for propelling the vehicle are provided as follows. An upright drive shaft IT is journaled in the bearing portion 3 to extend into the front end of the channel 5 and slant upwardly and rearwardly. Av crank disk I8 is suitably fixed to the upper end of said drive shaft l1 and which rests, on top of the portion 3and is provided with an eccentrically mounted hand grip knob l9 upstanding therefrom. A longitudinally extending driven shaft 20 is mounted in the channel 5 in suitable bearings 2| provided in said channel, said shaft inclining downwardly and rearwardly.

'The drive shaft I1 is operatively connected to 22, 23, are preferably of the same diameter. The driven shaft 20 is operatively connected to the axle '9 by means of a spur gear 24 fast on the rear end of said driven shaft and meshing with a larger spur gear 25 fast on saidaxle 9 and arranged in a plane at a right angle to the plane of said gear 24. As shown in Figure 5, the spur gear 23 may be provided with a. hub 26 fixed on the driven shaft by means of a diametrical pin 21 extending through said hub and shaft. The spur gear 24 may be similarly fixed to the driven shaft In the modified embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 6, the drive shaft, designated 28 in this instance, is operatively connected to the rear axle 29 by means of a belt and pulley drive including a small grooved pulley 30 fast on the lower end of said shaft 28, a relatively larger grooved pulley 3| fast on the axle 29, and a crossed belt 32 extending between said pulleys. Otherwise, the construction in the modified embodiment is the same as that described with reference to the preferred embodiment of my invention.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood. In the preferred embodiment, the vehicle may be propelled by rotating the crank disk l8 through the medium of the hand grip l9 to impart rotation to the drive shaft l1 and through the medium of the spur gears 22, 23, the driven shaft 20, and the spur gears 24, 25 rotate the axle 9. In the modified embodiment of the invention, the axle 29 is rotated under rotation of the drive shaft 28 through the described belt and pulley drive. In each embodiment, the motion transmitting means between the drive shaft and the rear axle constitute a reduction drive. The manner in which the vehicle is steered has already been set forth.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly my invention is susceptible of modification in other respects than as herein set forth, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a toy vehicle of the class described, an elongated body fOIIIllllg flat sided bar having a solid front end and a bearing extension upstand- 1 ing therefrom adjacent said end, said bar having a bottom edge longitudinally channeled from said front end to the rear end of the bar, a seat panel extending across the upper edge of said bar in the rear of said extension, an axle journaled in said bar adjacent the rear end thereof and extending through said channel, rear wheels on said axle, a front steering wheel unit mounted in said front end of the :bar, and means to rotate said axle comprising a drive shaft extending downwardly through said bearing extension into the channel of said bar, a crank disk fast on said drive shaft above said extension and having an operating hand grip thereon, and operating connections between said shaft and axle housed in the channel in said bar, said operating connections comprising a driven shaft, a. pair of gear pinions meshing in right angled relation and fast on the drive and driven shafts respectively, and reduction gearing between the driven shaft and said axle.

2. In a toy vehicle, an elongated fiat-sided body-forming bar having a solid front end portion, and an integral bearing extension upstand- -ing therefrom adjacent said front end portion,

said bar increasing in thickness vertically from said front end portion to the opposite end thereof and being provided in the bottom edge of the same with a relatively deep channel extending from said opposite end to said solid front end portion, a seat panel set in to the top edge of the bar in the rear of said extension and extending beyond the sides of the bar, a pair of bearing blocks depending from said seat upon opposite sides of said bar, respectively and spaced laterally from the bar, a drive shaft journaled in said extension with one end extending into the channel, an operating crank on the other end of said shaft, a rotatable axle shaft extending transversely through said opposite end of the bar and said channel and also through said bearing blocks, wheels on the ends of said axle shaft, a drive between said drive shaft and axle shaft completely housed in said channel, and a steering wheel unit mounted in said front end portion-of said bar.

WILLIAM N. WHEELER. 

